Palestinians in Gaza continue to suffer a harsh daily struggle to access food, water, and essential medical supplies one week into the ceasefire agreement as the Israeli occupation heavily restricts the flow of aid into the war-devastated enclave, contravening the deal.
Media reports said that aid flow into the besieged enclave was not enough as the Israeli occupation kept trucks waiting at the Kissufim crossing since the early hours of the morning on Friday.
“Trucks wait for hours and hours for the green light from the Israeli side to access the crossing. There are supposed to be 600 aid trucks entering Gaza every day, but the actual number is fewer than 300,” Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported.
Meanwhile on Friday, the UN World Food Program (WFP) said it has brought in about 560 tons of food per day on average into Gaza since the ceasefire began, but it is still below what is needed.
“We’re still below what we need, but we’re getting there… The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance,” WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told reporters in Geneva.
The UN agency earlier today said it has enough food to feed all of Gaza for three months.
WFP is scaling up food assistance in #Gaza. We have the food, the teams and the networks to feed all of Gaza for 3 months.
To keep going — and reach everyone — we need lasting access and a stable operating environment.
The ceasefire must hold. We cannot go back.
— World Food Programme (@WFP) October 17, 2025
Unaffordability of Goods
For its part, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA warned of unaffordability of goods flowing into Gaza. It said that the Israeli two-year campaign of destruction has taken on Gaza’s farmlands has left many families without income.
“A kilo of tomatoes that once cost 60¢, now costs $15 – if found at all”, the agency said.
“Families who once lived from their land now have no income.”
Almost all of #Gaza’s farmland is destroyed or inaccessible.
A kilo of tomatoes that once cost 60¢, now costs $15 – if found at all.
Families who once lived from their land now have no income.
People cannot afford the food reappearing in the markets.
Until Gaza’s agricultural… pic.twitter.com/yIusGPolLF
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) October 17, 2025
The trucks seen making their way into Gaza since the implementation of the ceasefire one week ago largely carry commercial goods, not humanitarian aid, the agency’s team on the ground reported.
Rafah Crossing
As for the Rafah crossing, an Israeli government agency said earlier on Thursday that the opening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt for the movement of people will continue to be delayed.
In a statement, COGAT – an Israeli military unit that is responsible for civilian matters in the occupied territory – said coordination was under way with Egypt to set a date for reopening the Rafah crossing for movement of people after completing the necessary preparations.
COGAT said the Rafah crossing would remain closed to aid, claiming that the truce deal did not include its reopening. All humanitarian supplies bound for Gaza, it said, would instead pass through the Karem Abu Salem crossing after Israeli “security inspections”.
BREAKING: Israelis block humanitarian aid trucks from going to the starving population of Gaza.
Israelis gathered this morning at the road leading to Karm Abu Salem crossing to prevent the entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/tKkOX8a3KN
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman_) October 17, 2025
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)
